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Academy Award Picks

Catherine sent me an email this afternoon asking if we wanted to do an Academy Awards ballot. We did this last year when we had a girls’ weekend with our friend Barb over the Oscars weekend. Even though I’ve seen, I don’t know, three of the movies nominated for anything, I’ve read plenty about movies and I’m generally interested in movies, so it’s fun to do even if I’ve never (and probably never will) see Life of Pi or whatever.

And here are my choices. We’re allowed to pick first and second choices, 1/2 point if second choice wins. I mostly don’t have anything special to say about my picks because I haven’t seen most of the movies.

Best Picture – 1. Argo; 2. LincolnBest Director – 1. Steven Spielberg; 2. David O. RussellBest Actor – 1. Daniel Day-Lewis; 2. Hugh JackmanBest Actress – 1. Jessica Chastain; 2. Naomi Watts (Ben thinks Jennifer Lawrence will win and I agree her performance was fantastic but I think it’s too non-traditional Best Actress – i.e. too subtle – to win)Best Supporting Actor – 1. Robert De Niro; 2. Alan Arkin (I wish that Alan Arkin were my crotchety old grandfather)Best Supporting Actress – 1. Anne Hathaway; 2. Sally Field (tempted to just put Anne Hathaway for 1 and 2 to see if I could get 1 1/2 points for this anticipated W)Best Animated Feature Film – 1. Brave (one of the few movies I have seen, seven times, in the past week, so thanks so much, Nate, for lending his copy of this movie to Elena); 2. Wreck-It RalphBest Foreign Film – usually I have some inside scoop on this one from hearing a review on NPR or similar, but I got nothin’ this year. So, 1. Amour; 2. A Royal AffairBest Original Screenplay – usually my favorite movies win the screenplay awards, and I used to like Quentin but I’m kind of tired of everyone’s livers getting splattered across the walls but it seems like other people still enjoy that, so 1. Django Unchained; 2. Moonrise Kingdom (which I’ve actually seen – and it’s lovely)Best Adapted Screenplay – 1. Silver Linings Playbook; 2. Argo (two movies I’ve seen, both wonderful, and I’d be happy if either one wins and unhappy if one of the others wins)Best Costume Design – 1. Les Miserables; 2. Anna KareninaBest Original Song – this is another one I usually get right! 1. Skyfall; 2. SuddenlyBest Original Score – 1. Skyfall; 2. Life of PiBest Documentary – who knows. 1. How to Survive a Plague; 2. Searching for Sugar ManBest Documentary Short – 1. Open Heart; 2. RedemptionBest Makeup & Hairstyling – 1. Les Miserables; 2. Hitchcock (thus guaranteeing that Hobbit will win in this three-nominee category)Best Production Design – 1. Life of Pi; 2. LincolnBest Film Editing – 1. Argo; 2. Zero Dark ThirtyBest Cinematography – 1. Life of Pi; 2. LincolnBest Sound Editing – 1. Life of Pi; 2. SkyfallBest Sound Mixing – 1. Les Miserables; 2. Life of PiBest Visual Effects – 1. Avengers; 2. HobbitBest Short Film (Animated) – 1. Longest Daycare; 2. Fresh GuacamoleBest Short Film (Live Action) – 1. Buzkashi Boys; 2. Death of a Shadow